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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24400279">Flaws (Jirou Akutagawa)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRainRogue/pseuds/TheRainRogue'>TheRainRogue</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Katekyou Hitman Reborn!, Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Crossover, Dark, Fluff, Other, mafia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 04:08:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,865</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24400279</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRainRogue/pseuds/TheRainRogue</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Your eyes widened in fear as they stared into the brown eyes of your boyfriend. They were as wide as yours but filled with more than just fear.</p><p>Terror, disbelief, horror.</p><p>Those were the most prominent, the ones that stood out the most to you. He had every right to be terrified, you knew, but what killed you was that you didn’t know if he was terrified of you or of what he had seen. If you had to guess, you’d say it was a little bit of both.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akutagawa Jirou/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Anime, Series</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><ul>
<li>
<strong>Genre</strong>: Fluff, Angst, Mafia, Dark, Crossover ☁</li>
<li>
<strong>Word Count</strong>: 1,458 ☁</li>
<li>
<strong>Pairing</strong>: Reader x Jirou ☁</li>
<li>
<strong>World</strong>: Anime, Prince of Tennis &amp; Katekyo Hitman Reborn! ☁</li>
</ul><p> <em>This fic contains mentions of rape/sexual assault and has dark themes such as murder and gore. Reader discretion is advised.</em></p><hr/><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em>Can you forgive my flaws?</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>Your eyes widened in fear as they stared into the brown eyes of your boyfriend. They were as wide as yours but filled with more than just fear.</p><p>Terror, disbelief, horror.</p><p>Those were the most prominent, the ones that stood out the most to you. He had every right to be terrified, you knew, but what killed you was that you didn’t know if he was terrified of <em>you</em> or of what he had <em>seen</em>. If you had to guess, you’d say it was a little bit of both.</p><p>Something like that… it’s something the young boy could never have imagined, even in his wildest of dreams, but he was seeing it now, before his very eyes.</p><p>And he knew it wasn’t a dream, it was a nightmare.</p><p>
  <em> <strong>8 Hours Earlier</strong> </em>
</p><p>“Y/N,” Reborn’s suave voice echoed through the Sawada household which was currently empty aside from the aforementioned man and yourself. He sipped his coffee as he waited, listening closely to the sound of your footsteps as you descended the stairs.</p><p>“What’s up, Reborn?” You asked as you grabbed a bottle of soda from the refrigerator.</p><p>“I have a new job for you. The request came in this morning.” He slid a manila folder across the table.</p><p>You blinked, setting the drink down. There was only a single sheet of paper inside the folder, bearing all of the information you needed for the new mission, including a picture of the man you were after. Your eyes slid across the lines of words, picking up a few keywords that made you realize how serious this job really was.</p><p>Rape. Murder. Child. Brutal.</p><p>Your eyes hardened as your grip tightened on the folder.</p><p>Reborn lifted his head just enough for his dark eyes to land on you, shining with infinite knowledge. “Will you accept?”</p><p>“I’ll handle it. An undercover mission isn’t something I prefer, but I have no problem with doing so. Is there a specific persona I should take on?” You threw the folder on the table in order to grab the soda.</p><p>“Dress professionally. A suit would do fine.” He sipped his coffee, his fedora pulled back down to shadow his eyes. “He will think that you’re there to tip him off to a group of young girls. When you see the opportunity to strike, do so.”</p><p>“Does Tsuna know about this?”</p><p>“…”</p><p>“I didn’t think so.” You sighed, running a hand through your hair. “I won’t do it without his approval, Reborn. You know that.”</p><p>The corner of his lips twitched, wanting to turn into a smirk, but he held it back. “That’s fine. And while you’re waiting for Tsuna to return from his vacation in a week, think of how many innocent girls that man could have in that time. He works fast, I hear.”</p><p>Your body tensed, hand frozen in mid-air and the bottle inches from your lips which were now pressed into a fine line. Your eyes narrowed at the older man, knowing that he was messing with your mind. Even so, he was right. Men like that… they wasted no time. There’s no telling how many victims would have appeared by the time Tsuna returned.</p><p>You closed your eyes and breathed out slowly, not even realizing that you had been holding your breath.</p><p>“You’ll do it, then?” He pressed.</p><p>“Fine, I’m in. When and where?”</p><p>“Five thirty this afternoon, Hyde park.”</p><p>“I’ll be there.”</p><p>Reborn smirked as you left the kitchen.</p><hr/><p>After getting your mission from Reborn, you returned to your own home to gather the things you’d need. Your mind was so focused on the task at hand that you were thoroughly surprised to find your boyfriend standing outside your house, waiting for you to return home.</p><p>Jirou smiled brightly when you stopped in front of him, pushing away from the door to greet you. “Hiya, Y/N-chan~!”</p><p>“Jirou… what are you doing here?”</p><p>“Oh. Well, Atobe-buchou let us out of practice early today because he had something to do. So~ I decided to come and see you!” He wrapped his arms around you, snuggling his face into the crook of your neck. Feeling you tense beneath him he pulled back enough to look at your face, a frown marring his features. “You’re not busy, are you?”</p><p>“No, not at all!” You responded quickly. <em>‘Maybe a little too quick’</em>, you thought when his brow furrowed. “I’ve just got a lot on my mind, that’s all. I’m free until tonight.”</p><p>“Do you mind if I stay with you until then?” He asked softly, head tilting to the side. He was so adorable, you couldn’t say no even if you wanted to. Which you didn’t.</p><p>You set your hand on his cheek with a smile tugging at your lips. “Of course I don’t mind, Jirou~”</p><p>He grinned brightly, grip tightening as he nuzzled your neck again. The mission temporarily forgotten, you let your arms snake around his torso, bringing his body closer to your own.</p><p>The relationship you had with Jirou was complicated on every level, even if it didn’t seem like it at first glance. First off, there was the age difference. You were eighteen years old, fresh out of high school. Jirou had only just started high school.</p><p>You couldn’t go so far as to say he’s as innocent as his teammate, Choutarou, but he was pretty close. He was ignorant of the real horror that lie hidden within this world. He could so easily be corrupted… and that terrified you.</p><p>You were, after all, a hitwoman in the strongest family in all of Japan and Italy. You killed people for a living, drew blood and put blades and knives through people’s hearts. They were all scumbags who didn’t deserve to live, but it was murder either way. Your hands were tainted with blood, but Jirou didn’t know that.</p><p>He probably didn’t even know that the mafia really existed. You didn’t want him to find out – about any of it. You didn’t want to scare him away, you didn’t want him to think that you were a monster, even if you were in reality. Your biggest fear was losing Jirou, the love of your life.</p><p>You had managed to hide it from him so far, but… just how long would that last? The thought terrified you, which was saying something considering you looked death in the face every day of your life.</p><p>“Why don’t you come inside, Jirou? It’s pretty chilly out here,” You suggested, gently pushing the younger male away before heading toward the front door. Jirou followed behind closely as you entered the silent home, heading for the kitchen. “Would you like anything to drink?”</p><p>He shook his head. “No thank you,”</p><p>“To eat, then?” You glanced at him over your shoulder before rifling through the fridge.</p><p>“Nope~”</p><p>You glanced at him again before shutting the door. “Alright then. Did you have anything in mind for us?”</p><p>His cheeks gained a little color as he looked away, grinning sheepishly. “Umm… I thought that, maybe if you wanted to, we could…” he shook his head violently before looking at you, his hands held out in front of him. “No, never mind. It’s stupid.”</p><p>“Jirou,” you called softly before approaching him. “Nothing you say is stupid. Tell me?”</p><p>He looked down at his hands in defeat. “Fine~ I was hoping we could get Fuuta-kun and go to the park. We… we had a lot of fun last time…”</p><p>“Why would that be stupid?” You blinked in confusion.</p><p>“It’s, umm…” he glanced at you before quickly looking the other way, “…really childish.”</p><p>You smiled, almost bitterly, as you placed your hand on his cheek, forcing the boy to look at you. “Who cares if it’s childish? You should enjoy your youth as long as you can, Jirou, because once you lose it… it’s gone forever.”</p><p>“Okay!” He sprung up, throwing his arms around you and bringing his lips to your own.</p><p>It was a simple, chaste kiss, but you found herself melting in it as his arms tightened, bringing your bodies closer. With that single kiss, you actually felt like things would turn out okay, but you knew that was a false sense of security. It was a lie, a bold-faced lie that liked to taunt you every time your lips met his.</p><p>But even if it was a lie, full of spite and with a bitterness that even you couldn’t believe, you would welcome it fully, because it might just be the only thing that’s keeping you sane.</p><p>All too soon, the kiss ended and Jirou was left beaming, waiting for you.</p><p>You smiled, putting your coat back on.</p><hr/><p>You sat back on the park bench, watching Fuuta and Jirou chasing each other through the trees. Seeing the two smiling and laughing, so innocent and happy; it warmed your heart and almost made you forget about who you are the sins you’ve committed. It was short-lived, though, as a scream pierced the Autumn air. You reacted on instinct, rushing toward the direction of the sound. What you found enraged you.</p><p>A young girl, maybe around fourteen or fifteen years old, was on the ground crying.</p><p>Blood dripped from an open gash on your forehead. A man much older than herself was ordering her to be quiet in hushed whispers as he held her wrist tightly.</p><p>Seeing the sight sent fury coursing through your veins. You could feel the anger beginning to take over. Blood pumped loudly in your ears, blocking out the cries of the girl and the yells of the man. Your movements were automatic, as if someone else were controlling your body. Your hand grabbed the back of the man’s dirty jacket and ripped him away from the girl.</p><p>“What the hel -”</p><p>His words were cut short when your fist connected with his face. You could feel the crunch of his nose as the bone shattered into pieces. Blood poured from his face, but you were far from done with him.</p><p>“You think this is okay?!” You punched him again, busting open his lip with your Vongola ring. “Huh?! You think it’s okay to attack someone?!” Your fist reached his gut with such a force that his feet left the ground. “She’s a fucking child!” Your last punch sent the man flying, landing flat on his back a few feet away. “You won’t hurt anyone else, mother fucker.” You pulled out a pistol from the back of your jeans and aimed it at his head.</p><p>“Please! Please! I swear I wasn’t gonna do anything! I just wanted a feel!” The man started to sob, his tears mixing with the blood that covered his face.</p><p>“And that makes it okay?” You growled out, cocking the gun. It clicked and the man started to shake.</p><p>“I’ll never do it again! I swear! I’ll change!”</p><p>Your eyes scanned the man’s face before narrowing. It was a bit difficult to tell through the blood and tears covering his face, but that was definitely the same man from the file Reborn had given her. He’s wanted for various sex acts, most of which are against minors, along with various other offenses. You remembered the conversation with Reborn and glanced at the watch on your wrist.</p><p>Five-forty in the afternoon.</p><p>Reborn knew that this guy would be here around five-thirty. You had completely forgotten about it after speaking with Jirou, who always made you forget about the horror of your job.</p><p>“Please…” The man whimpered.</p><p>“I’m supposed to bring you in alive.” You slowly lowered the gun. “But your actions are unforgivable!” As quick as lightning, you raised it again and fired.</p><p>The man’s crotch exploded in a mess of blood and skin. His screams were high pitched, grating against your head.</p><p>“Enjoy your trip to hell, asshole,” You growled before pulling the trigger once more. The bullet ripped through the air before piercing the center of his forehead.</p><p>The park was now silent. His screams stopped as soon as the bullet hit him – an instant kill. A pool of blood formed below his body at this point, slowly dripping towards you. With a scoff, you turned away from the mess only to freeze, the weapon falling from your hand. The sound echoed in your brain as it clattered on the pavement.</p><p>Your eyes widened in fear as you stared into the brown eyes of your boyfriend. They were as wide as yours but filled with more than just fear.</p><p>Terror, disbelief, horror. Those were the most prominent; the ones that stood out the most to you. He had every right to be terrified, you knew, but what killed you was that you didn’t know if he was terrified of <em>you</em> or of what he had <em>seen</em>. If you had to guess, you’d say it was a mixture of both.</p><p>Something like that… it’s something the young boy could never have imagined, even in his wildest of dreams, but he was seeing it now, before his very eyes.</p><p>And he knew it was not a dream, it was a nightmare.</p><p>“Jirou…” You swallowed hard, taking a step forward.</p><p>He only shook his head and backed away. “What have you done?”</p><p>“Let me explain. Please!”</p><p>He took off running, tears spilling from his eyes. It felt like your heart shattered into a million pieces, and he just ran off with them all. You couldn’t move; it felt as if your feet were glued to the ground as a heavy weight pushed down on your shoulders.</p><p>You honestly wanted to die.</p><p>A soft sob snapped you out of your daze and you remembered the present situation. You made your way over to the young girl who was shaking violently; though you couldn’t be sure if it was caused by your attack on the man or the attack on her <em>by</em> the man.</p><p>“I’m not going to hurt you,” You spoke softly, making sure to stop a foot away from her. You kneeled down and held your hand out like you were approaching a frightened animal. “You’re safe now,”</p><p>The girl only stared at you for a moment before pushing off the ground and almost flying into your arms. A new round of sobs escaped the girl’s throat, growing louder as her brain processed the situation. You wrapped your arms tightly around the girl, whispering softly into her ear in an attempt to calm her.</p><p>At the same time, you were trying very hard not to break down yourself.</p><hr/><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><ul>
<li>
<strong>Genre</strong>: Angst, Mafia, Dark, Crossover ☁</li>
<li>
<strong>Word Count</strong>: 2,536 ☁</li>
<li>
<strong>Pairing</strong>: Reader x Jirou ☁</li>
<li>
<strong>World</strong>: Anime, Prince of Tennis &amp; Katekyo Hitman Reborn! ☁</li>
</ul><hr/><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em>Can you forgive my flaws?</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>You stared at the wall blankly, blinking only when your eyes began to sting. You felt nothing, almost like your emotions had been ripped from your body. Or perhaps when your heart was crushed, it lost the ability to feel.</p><p>A cup of tea was set down in front of you but your eyes didn’t move from their spot on the wall. Tsuna sat at the end of the table to your left with a worried look on his face.</p><p>After the incident had gone down, Fuuta ran back to Tsuna’s house to get Reborn. Of course, the Arcobaleno was nowhere to be found, but by that time Tsuna had returned home. After a rushed explanation, the mafia leader ran out of the house to retrieve you.<br/>When he arrived at the park, you were still cradling the girl. She had stopped sobbing by that point but still remained in your warm embrace. Sirens sounded in the distance – most likely called by a concerned citizen who had heard the screams of pain from the man.</p><p>Although Tsuna felt bad about leaving the girl alone, he knew the cops were close; he knew that she would be fine. His main concern was keeping his family out of prison for homicide. The problem, however, was that you weren’t responding to anything he said. Being older meant that you weighed more than he did, and he struggled to pull you up from the ground.</p><p>Your steps were robotic, lifeless, as he practically dragged you back to his house. Fuuta, who stood waiting by the door, began to cry when he realized how lifeless your eyes had become. He called your name again and again, but you didn’t once acknowledge him. It broke his heart.</p><p>Tsuna ordered him upstairs and, despite his worry, the small boy obeyed, looking back to see his boss dragging you into the kitchen.</p><p>And there you sat, not a muscle moved since he plopped you down in the chair.</p><p>“Y/N-san…” Tsuna called softly, resting his hand on top of your own. His hands were warm, a stark contrast to yours that felt like ice. “Y/N-san please say <em>something</em>,”</p><p>Your lips parted and it took you a moment to speak. When you finally did, your voice was rough, like you hadn’t used it in months. “There’s nothing to say,”</p><p>He bit his lip, choosing his words carefully. “Why don’t you start from the beginning… Tell me what you saw when you got to the park.”</p><p>Your eyes lifted up the wall as the memory of the past two hours flashed through your mind. Like a defense mechanism, your brain automatically cut the memory after the second shot of your gun. “A girl… she was screaming. I ran to her on instinct.”</p><p>“What did you find when you reached her?” He asked with a soft tone, much like a mother would use to speak to a child that had a nightmare. In a sense, you did have a nightmare.</p><p>“Atsuki Tanaka. Thirty five-years-old. Suspected of rape, molestation, torture, and murder. All victims under the age of eighteen. All female,”</p><p>“That’s the man Reborn sent you after?” He meant it as a question, though it came out as more of a statement.</p><p>“I should have asked you, I know that.” Your hands gripped your jeans as your eyes slid tightly closed. “I was worried another victim would fall before I could talk with you.”</p><p>He wanted to ask if Reborn had pressured you into doing it. He was, after all, known for finding great joy in convincing people to do things they didn’t want to do. Reborn had a way with words like no other, and it always landed the victim in trouble. This time, though, Tsuna thought he went too far.</p><p>“When I saw him…” Your breath was shaky, words barely above a whisper. “Something within me snapped. She looked so scared, Tsuna. Absolutely terrified, just like – ” Jirou flashed in your mind, wearing the same expression the girl had been. You shook your head, gripping it tightly as if that would erase that horrible image, but it did no good; it was seared into your brain.</p><p>“It’s okay,” Tsuna stood, wrapping his arms around you. “It’s okay, Y/N-san. You saved her. She’s alive, she’s safe, because of you.” He wanted to ask about Jirou – it sat on the tip of his tongue, but something held him back. Something in the pit of his stomach told him to wait, and Tsuna has always been a person to listen to his gut instincts. He decided to hold off asking you about that particular subject. “Why don’t you go up to my room and rest?”</p><p>Without a word, you removed yourself from the warmth of his arms and headed up the stairs and into his bedroom, closing the door behind you. You crawled into his bed. Although the sheets were ice cold due to the AC being blasted through the home, they still smelled like your precious boss and that was a huge comfort to you. Even so, it wasn’t enough to stop the tears that leaked from your eyes, staining the pillow beneath your head.</p><hr/><p>Tsuna sat at the table, his face covered with his hands. He had no clue how to help you out. The only problem he’s ever had with affairs of the heart was his crush on Kyoko, but he knew that was nothing compared to your current problem. You love Jirou with all your heart, and because of your loyalty to the Vongola – to <em>his</em> family -, you probably lost him.</p><p>Although he didn’t give the order himself, he knew that he would have agreed to accept the job. Would he have decided to do it differently? He didn’t know.</p><p>The front door opened and closed. Reborn came strutting into the kitchen with his usual smirk resting upon his lips. “Did Y/N complete the mission?”</p><p>Tsuna wanted to be angry at him, but he couldn’t put the blame on Reborn. “She did, and lost Jirou-san in the process.”</p><p>“Oh? Did he die?” He asked it so casually as he took the seat you had previously been sitting in.</p><p>Tsuna rubbed his arms to try and rid himself of the chill that Reborn’s words had given him. “No… nothing like that. He saw her taking care of Tanaka.”</p><p>“What a shame,” His voice conveyed sarcasm and his expression was blank, devoid of his usual smirk.</p><p>The young mafia leader didn’t know what to think, but an itching in the back of his mind prompted him to ask, “Did you know?”</p><p>“Know what?”</p><p>“That Jirou-san would be there.”</p><p>“How would I possibly know something like that?” He feigned innocence, but Tsuna had been dealing with Reborn long enough to know that something wasn’t right. “If anything, it was her own fault. I told her to meet Tanaka at five, and yet she just so happens to forget and take her beloved there at the exact time the meeting was supposed to take place? It sounds to me like she wanted him to see her.”</p><p>“Is that what you think?”</p><p>Both men turned to look at you, standing in the doorway of the kitchen with your eyes narrowed in anger and in pain.</p><p>“You think I wanted this, Reborn? Really?!”</p><p>He stared at you blankly. “It seems too coincidental to me,”</p><p>You stepped forward with the intent of hitting the man, but Tsuna quickly jumped up and stopped you from advancing. “You’ve always been an asshole, Reborn, but I never thought… I can’t <em>believe</em> you…”</p><p>“Y/N-san, wait!” Tsuna tried to grab your arm but he wasn’t fast enough. The front door slammed and you were gone. “Reborn!”</p><p>“She’s acting like a child,”</p><p>“Her heart was broken!”</p><p>“She should be grateful. Now that he’s out of the way, she can focus on the Vongola which she pledged to remain loyal to,”</p><p>Tsuna shook his head and left the room. He wanted to say something, but the words just escaped him. Reborn could be too much sometimes.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>
    <strong>A Few Days Later</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>A sigh escaped your lips as you walked down the street, hands stuffed into the pockets of your hoodie. The weather had gotten quite cold the last couple of days but you didn’t mind. The cold made your body feel numb and feeling numb meant you didn’t feel pain or regret. It’s been a tough few days for you and you’ve been going out of your way to avoid Reborn. Actually, you’ve been avoiding everyone.</p><p>“Excuse me?”</p><p>You snapped out of your thoughts, staring blankly at the young girl standing before you.</p><p>“Do you remember me?” The girl asked softly, clutching the strap of her school bag. She was clearly nervous.</p><p>“The girl from the park,” Your voice was dull and lifeless.</p><p>“My name is Emi Koga,” She smiled, stepping closer. “I never got to thank you for saving me.”</p><p>“It was nothing.”</p><p>“That’s not true!” Emi shook her head, her twin-tails flopping back and forth with the movement. She grabbed your arm since she couldn’t reach your hand. “If it wasn’t for you, I would’ve been… he probably would have killed me.”</p><p>You stared at the girl for a moment. “You’re not scared of me,”</p><p>“You saved my life. Why would I be scared of you?” Emi cocked her head to the side in confusion before a thought overcame her. She leaned in closer, lowering her voice. “Oh, that’s right! I’ve got your gun.” After looking around to make sure no one was around, she pulled open her bag and held it out to you.</p><p>Your fingers brushed over the cold metal of the piece and your brow furrowed. “How’d you manage this?”</p><p>“It was actually pretty easy. I told the police that the man had been stalking me for a while and I felt unsafe, so I took my father’s gun. It was ruled self-defense so it wasn’t held as evidence. The officer didn’t want to return it, but I made up a story about how my dad would kill me if he found out. It worked like a charm!” She winked in a cute manner. “It’s the least I could do. It looks expensive.”</p><p>“It was a gift,” Your hand wrapped around the grip as you lifted it from the bag. The magazine was empty and the safety had been switched on.</p><p>“They kinda took the rest of your bullets. It was the only way they’d agree to let me take it back.”</p><p>“Thanks, kid.” You slipped the gun into the back of your jeans, pulling your t-shirt and hoodie over it. It felt like home, as weird as that sounds, to have your gun back. Any other time, you would have flipped out about losing it. Or rather, you wouldn’t have left it behind for anything. As of late, though, things have been put into perspective and your gun, as much as it meant to you, wasn’t nearly as important to you as the love you lost.</p><p>“You never told me your name,”</p><p>“Y/N,”</p><p>“I’ll remember it. Definitely!” She smiled brightly. “I have to get home now. See ya around!”</p><p>You watched the young girl run off. The whole conversation had left you feeling emotionally confused. That girl should be terrified of you, so why wasn’t she? Just because you saved her life? It didn’t make any sense at all.</p><p>You continued down the street, lost in thought. Several groups of students passed by you on their way home from school, but you paid them no mind. Their voices blended together in your mind, sounding foreign. The farther you walked, the more the uniforms started to change and you were soon walking through groups of Hyotei Gakuen students.</p><p>“Hey, you!”</p><p>You paused at the familiar voice, finally looking away from the ground. A boy from Jirou’s tennis team, Hyoshi, was standing a few feet in front of you, beckoning you over. Taking a deep breath, you mentally prepared yourself for what you assumed would be him yelling at you for what had happened.</p><p>“I have some information for you, but you gotta buy me some food.”</p><p>Your brow furrowed in confusion. “What kind of info?”</p><p>He folded his arms over his chest impatiently. “Trust me, you wanna hear this. I’m starving, let’s go.”</p><p>Without any protest, you followed the young boy to the cafe down the street where he ordered a fruit and yogurt bowl. Not a word was spoken between the two of you as you took a seat in the back of the cafe and away from prying ears.</p><p>“About Jirou -”</p><p>“I really screwed up, didn’t I?”</p><p>He stared at you blankly before popping a strawberry into his mouth. “Yeah, you did. He hasn’t been sleeping.”</p><p>You groaned, slamming your head onto the round table. Jirou loves his sleep and knowing that he hasn’t been sleeping is a very bad sign. “What am I supposed to do, Hyoshi?”</p><p>“How should I know?”</p><p>“Thanks for the help,”</p><p>“You’ll be thanking me for real when I tell you what I know.”</p><p>You sighed deeply, lifting your head just enough to look at him. “Can we get this over with?”</p><p>“That day, did you have anything planned with Jirou?”</p><p>“No. He told me practice ended early and asked if we could go to the park. I agreed, completely forgetting about my meeting at that same park. Friggin’ dumbass, right.”</p><p>Hiyoshi’s hand stopped moving and he stared at his yogurt.</p><p>Your eyes narrowed. “Why do you ask?”</p><p>“Don’t you think it’s weird? You have a meeting at that park and Jirou suddenly appears asking to go to the park? Pretty convenient that Atobe-buchou let us out early that day. Never really happens.”</p><p>“So what, you think Atobe planned this?”</p><p>“Of course not,” He looked like he was glaring at you, but you knew it was just his natural look. “I think Atobe was a pawn just like you and Jirou.”</p><p>“So who the fuck was the game master, then?”</p><p>“Jirou told me what happened. He told me every detail.” He hesitated. “He even told me what happened before heading to your house that day.”</p><p>“Which is?”</p><p>“Reborn approached him that morning. He told Jirou that you’ve been feeling down lately and suggested that he ask you out to the park.”</p><p>Your blood ran cold, like ice in your veins.</p><p>You didn’t understand.</p><p>You <em>couldn’t</em> understand.</p><p>“I don’t know for sure, but I bet he also had something to do with Atobe-buchou ending practice early. He got a call and started acting strangely before calling it off and leaving.”</p><p>“Why would he do that?” You asked, more to yourself than to him. “If he approached Jirou in the morning, then that means he made my appointment around the time Jirou would get to my house. He did it on purpose?”</p><p>Hiyoshi shrugged. “Dunno. I told you he was shady.”</p><p>“I’ve got to go,” You stood quickly, nearly knocking the table over in your haste as you ran from the cafe.</p><p>The young boy wondered if he had done the right thing by telling you, but he shrugged it off.</p><p>What’s done is done.</p><hr/><p> </p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
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<strong>Genre</strong>: Angst, Mafia, Dark, Crossover, Fluff ☁</li>
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<strong>Word Count</strong>: 1,810 ☁</li>
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<strong>Pairing</strong>: Reader x Jirou ☁</li>
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<strong>World</strong>: Anime, Prince of Tennis &amp; Katekyo Hitman Reborn! ☁</li>
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    <em>Can you forgive my flaws?</em>
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</blockquote><p>Reborn sat in his usual spot at the Sawada’s kitchen table, drinking his espresso and reading the newspaper. Tsuna sat across from him, working on his homework despite not being able to really focus. He was still quite worried about you, who had become quite anti-social since the whole ordeal. Nothing like your normal self; you wouldn’t even argue with Gokudera – a task you normally took joy in.</p><p>He sighed, leaning back in his chair. “I need a break. I’ve read the same paragraph ten times and still don’t know what it says.”</p><p>“Stop worrying about her,” Reborn sipped his expresso. “She’s a big girl, she can handle her own affairs.”</p><p>“It doesn’t matter how old she is, Reborn. She’s family, and family takes care of one another.”</p><p>Reborn didn’t respond, he merely went back to reading his paper.</p><p>Tsuna sighed in frustration, not understanding why the Arcobaleno had been so cold lately. He gathered up his courage and decided to confront him about this, but the sound of his front door slamming open erased any thought of doing so. He jumped up as you stormed into the room, eyes blazing with anger.</p><p>He tried to ask you what was wrong but before he realized what was happening, you had already punched Reborn in the face. The impact sent him out of his chair and you pinned him down to the ground.</p><p>“Y/N-san!”</p><p>“You mother fucker! Tell me what you did!” You demanded, hands wrapped tight around the collar of his dress shirt. “I want the truth, Reborn!”</p><p>“Y/N-san, please calm down!” Tsuna didn’t know what to do. He knew he wasn’t physically strong enough to pull you off, but he also knew he had to do something. “Calm down, we can talk about it.”</p><p>“He set me up, Tsuna! He arranged it so Jirou would be there at the same time!” Your knuckles were turning white due to how tight you held him. They throbbed, demanding blood flow, but you couldn’t care less. You wanted answers, <em>needed</em> answers, and you’d get them.</p><p>“Why would he do that?”</p><p>“I don’t know!” You cried out, fighting back tears. “I don’t know, Tsuna!”</p><p>The young mafia leader set his hands on your shoulders. “We can’t solve the problem like this. Let him go,” It took some coaxing, but you finally released your grip on his shirt. He made you sit at the table closest to the doorway.</p><p>Reborn, who had remained quiet, rose to his feet. He wiped the small stream of blood from his split lip before leaning against the counter. His face was completely blank and his dark eyes that usually shined with mischievous intent were dull and devoid of emotion.</p><p>“Reborn, is there any truth to what she said?” Tsuna asked carefully, glancing at you to make sure you didn’t explode again. He stayed silent, so he turned to you instead. “Why do you say Reborn set you up?”</p><p>“I met with a mutual friend of Jirou’s and mine. Jirou told him that Reborn convinced him to go to the park with me that day. He wouldn’t have asked otherwise!”</p><p>Tsuna bit his lip in worry. “Is that true, Reborn?”</p><p>The Arcobaleno folded his arms across his chest and lowered his head so that his hat covered his eyes. “It is,”</p><p>You sprung up out of the chair but Tsuna held his hand up and you stayed put, hands clenched on the table. “Why? Why did you tell him to do that?”</p><p>A tense silence fell over the room, lasting a good few minutes before Reborn finally looked up at you. When he did, you froze at the ice in his eyes.</p><p>“Because I wanted him to see what you are; what you do. Did you really believe it would last, Y/N? Did you honestly think you could live a happy little life with that boy? He doesn’t love you. He never did. Did you know that he asked you out because of a dare? I did you a favor. You clearly couldn’t take care of it yourself.” And with that, Reborn left the room, leaving behind an ice-cold silence.</p><p>You fell onto the chair, your legs not able to hold your weight any longer. Your brain tried to process all of the information it had gathered over the past few days, but it seemed like the more it tried, the harder it failed to make sense of everything. Your head started to pound, feeling as if it would crack in half with the slightest of movement on your part. You didn’t know what to say. You didn’t even know what to feel.</p><p>Was Reborn right?</p><p>“Y/N-san?” Tsuna called to you, resting his hand on your shoulder gently like you might shatter into pieces if he grabbed you too tightly. “Are you okay?”</p><p>“I… I was a dare?” You sounded so lost, it broke Tsuna’s heart. “I was a dare, Tsuna?”</p><p>“I don’t know…” He replied, slowly pulling you into his arms.</p><p>“What do I do, boss? I don’t know what to do.”</p><p>“I think… I think you should confront him. Not just about that, but about that day. It’ll be hard, really hard, but it’s better than leaving things the way they are now. You have to do this. You can do this.”</p><p>“What if I’m not strong enough to face him?”</p><p>“That’s nonsense. You’re the strongest person I know.” He pulled back, cupping your cheeks and forcing you to look at him. “All those times I wanted to give up, all those times I refused to be the new boss of the Vongola, all those times I doubted myself… you never gave up on me. You were always there for me when I needed you. No matter how difficult the situation was, you never let me back down. Now it’s my turn.” He smiled encouragingly. “I know you’re strong enough.”</p><p>“Thank you, Tsuna.” And for the first time since the incident, you smiled.</p><hr/><p>After nearly two days of convincing yourself that you were, indeed, strong enough to confront Jirou, you found yourself waiting outside the gates of Hyotei Gakuen. The longer you stood there waiting for tennis practice to end, the more nervous you got. You hated how scared and weak you were feeling. God, you felt like a scared little girl and it pissed you off.</p><p>Your phone buzzed in your pocket and you pulled it out to find a new message from Hiyoshi.</p><p><em>‘I’m about to leave the locker room’</em>, it read, <em>‘Jirou is the last one in there. If you’re gonna do it, now’s your chance.’</em></p><p>Taking a deep breath, you hoisted yourself over the gate and sped over toward the team’s changing room, making sure to avoid the sightline of anyone that got too close. Hiyoshi passed by you just as you made it to the changing room and he punched you lightly on the arm – his way of saying ‘good luck’.</p><p>Another deep breath before pushing open the locker room door.</p><p>Jirou had already changed back into his uniform and was sitting on the bench, knelt over as he tied his shoes. He hadn’t noticed your entrance, giving you a few extra seconds to compose yourself.</p><p>He stood up, putting his bag on his back before turning toward the door and promptly freezing, eyes wide.</p><p>“Hey,” you called softly, shoving your hands into the pockets on your jeans as you leaned back against the door. “Can we talk?”</p><p>He didn’t respond, just clutched the strap of his bag tighter.</p><p>“Listen, I know you’re scared of me. I don’t blame you, okay? I get it.” Deep breath. “I’d never hurt you, Jirou. Not intentionally. I never wanted…”</p><p>“Me to know that you murder people for a living?” His voice was low, like he was afraid of speaking too loudly. The words still managed to slice through you. He was right, of course, but it hurt like hell hearing it from him.</p><p>“Yeah… I’m part of the mafia and my job is to kill scumbags and protect the innocent. I lied to you, okay? That much is obvious, but I’m not the only one that’s lied.”</p><p>His brow furrowed and he seemed almost angry. “What have I lied about?”</p><p>You swallowed down the lump in your throat, but your voice still cracked when you spoke. “I was a dare wasn’t I?”</p><p>Jirou’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “W-What?”</p><p>“You asked me out because you were dared to, not because you liked me.” The pain was slowly starting to mold into anger, as it usually tended to do with you. “Don’t you dare look down on me Jirou Akutagawa. Yeah, I fucking lied, but at least I have the guts to admit it. I was trying to protect you, you were trying to protect yourself.” You paused for a moment, considering your next move.</p><p>After a quick internal debate, you pulled a necklace from your pocket and tossed it at him. It was the necklace he had bought for you shortly after you had started dating; a black diamond dragon surrounded by stainless steel. He knew how much you loved dragons and figured that you would love the pendant, which you did, but now it just burned a hole in your pocket. You had to get rid of it or you’d never be able to move on.</p><p>“Our whole relationship was built on lies from the ground up. It never would have worked.”</p><p>You turned around and left, and Jirou didn’t stop you.</p><hr/><p>Rain fell lightly from the darkened sky, matching the mood that you felt. You were sitting on the Sawada’s porch, thinking about everything that had happened the past few days. Your heart was still hurting, but you understand that time heals all wounds.</p><p>Although your eyes were closed, you could sense the presence of the sun Arcobaleno approaching you. He didn’t say anything as he took a seat beside you, his arm bumping against your own.</p><p>You decided to swallow your pride; keeping it would do nothing. “I’m sorry for punching you,”</p><p>“You know how to apologize?”</p><p>You didn’t have to look at him to know he was smirking. Rather than the cold demeanor he had been using, he was back to his old self and it made you feel at ease like nothing had changed.</p><p>“Don’t get used to it.” You nudged his arm. “We cool?”</p><p>Reborn stood up and headed for the front door. “I’ve got a new job for you. If you think you can handle it,”</p><p>You smirked, following after the man.</p><p>You still thought that Reborn was an ass for what he did, but you came to realize that he was trying to protect you in his own twisted way. After all, Reborn is family, and you don’t turn your back on family.</p><hr/><p> </p>
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